Girlfriend of man shot in his home speaks to WLKY

A Louisville man is facing a murder charge after a 25-year-old was shot while he was sleeping.

Police arrested Michael Murphy in connection with the shooting, and said he's actually related to the man he's now accused of killing.

The victim's girlfriend witnessed the violence and almost became a victim herself.

"It's horrible, I can't ever see him again," said Kayla Gardener, the girlfriend of the victim, later identified as Alex Sales-Mendez. "I went to turn on the lights and he's just got the blood, he was shot in the head."

The horrific wake-up call turned worse when Gardener realized someone set their bed on fire.

"I just want to know if he has a heart at all. How can someone just shoot someone in their sleep?" said Gardener.

A motive has not been released, but police said Murphy went to great lengths Sunday to get to the house where the shooting happened.

Police said he even cut off his ankle monitor.

"It does appear that this stemmed from an altercation with the family earlier," said LMPD spokeswoman Carey Klain.

Sales-Mendez initially survived a head wound, but he was brain-dead, and Gardener feared he wouldn't recover.

"It was always in the back of my head, but I always had a little hope that he would make it through (by) some miracle," said Gardener.

A few days later, Sales-Mendez was taken off life support and Murphy's charge was upgraded to murder.

"I don't think he should be able to sit in prison and be able to sleep, walk around and have meals everyday like it's nothing," said Gardener.

Gardener said she hopes for justice for her boyfriend, devastated that her time with him was cut so short.

"I never had someone show me so much attention like that. That really showed me that he cared and wanted to be with me," said Gardener. "I finally find someone like that and I don't get to keep him."